ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 8, 1993                   TAG: 9304080013
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LON WAGNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short


SUPERVISION OF TEAM `MORE THAN ADEQUATE'

The Franklin County High School wrestling team was "more than adequately" supervised during its February trip to Richmond, Principal Ben Gibson said Wednesday.

Gibson said he didn't think the rape and sodomy indictment of two high school wrestlers Wednesday as a result of the team's February trip would result in fewer out-of-town school trips.

"A week or two after the wrestling tournament, we sent 130 kids to New York City. They got stuck up there for two extra nights because of the snow and there was no problem," he said. "We have numerous trips where there never is a problem."

The school system requires a minimum of one chaperon - either a teacher or a parent - for every 15 students on field trips. Gibson said the ratio is usually lower than that, as it was during the wrestling tournament in Richmond.

"We could have assigned a chaperon per room, but we never have done that," he said. "We could have had bed checks every hour; we could have posted teachers in the halls.

"When is it reasonable supervision? That's something we'll have to look at."



by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB